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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Do you have what it takes to wear a badge and blue? The Colorado Springs Police Department is currently recruiting officers to take on the tough job of protecting our city.

For the past several years CSPD has only hired officers once a year, but due to the number of cops who are retiring they’re having to recruit more often.

“Retirements kind of go in waves. Every 20 or 30 years you have officers who’ve reached that point where they’re ready to retire so we’re looking at that for this year,” Officer Ray Isaac, recruiter for CSPD, said.

To be an officer with the Colorado Springs Police Department you have to be at least 21 years old and have an associate’s degree. Then they’ll put you through three tests.

“The first test is a written test. If they pass the written test they move on to a physical fitness test,” said Isaac. “If they pass the physical fitness test then they would move on to oral interviews.”

After that candidates who scored best on the tests will move on. They will get polygraphed, background checks, and both psychological and medical screenings.

“What we look for in our police officers are individuals with a desire to serve,” Isaac said.

Those with a desire to serve even when your service is in the face of danger.

“There is no such thing as routine in police work. I know we hear that word tossed around a lot, routine traffic stop, routine contact,” said Isaac. “Routine can change in a matter of seconds and it can become life or death.”

As tough as it sounds, it’s also extremely rewarding which is why Officer Isaac has served for nearly 23 years.

“Just going out for example on a traffic accident and taking that extra time to help that person who’s never been in an accident before, get the tow truck, sometimes if necessary give them a ride home because they’re facing a difficult situation and just really to be able to be there to serve,” said Isaac.

CSPD gets about 900 applicants during recruitment and about 48 make it to the academy.